Canada removed 41 diplomats and their families from India because India said they might take away their special protection as diplomats. This happened because there is a growing argument between the two countries about the killing of a Sikh activist.
The decision comes after both countries kicked out each other’s diplomats as a response to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and important Sikh leader. Nijjar was shot by two masked attackers in British Columbia.
A rift between the countries started because Canadian leader Justin Trudeau said that his intelligence services were investigating “believable accusations” that the murder could be connected to Indian government agents. India strongly denies any involvement in Nijjar’s death and accuses the claims of being ridiculous and driven by ulterior motives.
Apart from the reciprocal removal of diplomats, India has stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens due to concerns about the safety of Indian diplomats in Canada.
Last month, India announced that it would request some Canadian diplomats to depart from the country, in order to have equal diplomatic representation.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said India’s recent actions were not fair when she talked about the removal of the 41 diplomats on Thursday.
I always prioritize the safety of Canadians and our diplomats. Joly said at a press conference in Ottawa that because India’s actions could put our diplomats’ safety at risk, we have helped them leave India safely.
Joly mentioned that most diplomats and their families have left India, but 21 Canadian diplomats are still staying there.
Joly said the Canadian government will not respond in the same way, as it would break international law.
Joly said we are only asking India to follow the rules of the world.
Nijjar strongly supported the idea of creating a separate Sikh homeland called Khalistan, which would be made up of certain areas in India.
The World Sikh Organization of Canada says that Nijjar often led peaceful protests against what the group believes are human rights violations happening in India and in support of Khalistan.
The Khalistan movement is not allowed in India and the government sees it as a danger to the country’s safety. Some groups related to the movement are labeled as terrorist organizations under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Nijjar was listed by the Home Ministry as a UAPA terrorist.
In 2020, the Indian National Investigation Agency accused him of attempting to influence Sikh communities worldwide to support the formation of ‘Khalistan’. They also said he tried to encourage Sikhs to vote for independence, protest against the Indian government, and carry out violent actions.
Nijjar’s followers have refused to accept the terrorist label. They believe this label is being used to harm Nijjar’s reputation. Nijjar’s death has caused great shock and anger among the Sikh community in Canada, which is one of the biggest Sikh communities outside of India. In Canada, there are over 770,000 people who belong to the Sikh religious minority.